zachawry
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I did eliminate it, by buying a DAC that doesn't rely on an SMPS.
Seriously, I never heard it until I upgraded my system, so I think it's just inherent in the device.
Chord Hugo
- Thread starter harmonix
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I did eliminate it, by buying a DAC that doesn't rely on an SMPS.
Seriously, I never heard it until I upgraded my system, so I think it's just inherent in the device.
Rob Watts
Member of the Trade: Chord Electronics
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I did eliminate it, by buying a DAC that doesn't rely on an SMPS.
Seriously, I never heard it until I upgraded my system, so I think it's just inherent in the device.
Actually the problem is not Hugo, but the tiny leakage switching currents from the SMPS in the ground upsetting your amp - the amp clearly has a poor common mode rejection. You can avoid it by earthing Hugo (connect an earth to the Coax input) or running Hugo in battery mode. I know earth is a problem for Japan... But grounding the unit will prevent the switching currents from the SMPS from upsetting amps that are sensitive to ground currents.
Rob
zachawry
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Thanks for the reply, Rob.
Earth definitely is a problem here. Power is dirty to begin with, and there is no such thing as three-pronged outlets. I'm thinking of hiring an electrician to install one....
Earth definitely is a problem here. Power is dirty to begin with, and there is no such thing as three-pronged outlets. I'm thinking of hiring an electrician to install one....
Rob Watts
Member of the Trade: Chord Electronics
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Not a bad idea. A long time ago a friend of mine installed a custom audio only ground spike, and it did indeed improve his system.
Rob
Rob
doraymon
1000+ Head-Fier
I am having ground loop issues from my wallet instead... after I bought Hugo and understood what good equipment can really do to music...
How do I fix that?
uzi2
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Rearwing
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Set your wallet free, its already shown its good taste by your purchase of your Hugo! Money is only money, music is everything!
Chord dacs are unique and cant be replicated. So nothing comparable to hugos sound exists.
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So...
Has anyone compared the single ended line output of the Hugo to its RCA outputs?
May be getting a Liquid Carbon to pair with the Hugo and was wondering which would be better.
Cheers,
Ed
Has anyone compared the single ended line output of the Hugo to its RCA outputs?
May be getting a Liquid Carbon to pair with the Hugo and was wondering which would be better.
Cheers,
Ed
audionewbi
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As much as I love my Hugo sometimes I like to amp mine for various reasons. A while ago an amp designer told me he is working on a unique amp which is more or less designed around Hugo.
Here is a bit of information about the amp:
Portaphile NOK aka “Nude Overkill”
I thought it’d be a good time to release a bit more information on the Portaphile NOK. The Portaphile NOK will be based on the three channel amplifier architecture found on the 627 line of amplifiers. It will have three OPA627BM followed by six LME49600 buffers, two per channel. The OPA627BM is the higher performance “Can” version of TI’s already excellent OPA627. I’ve been using these opamps in a special edition Shohin with excellent results and decided to base our upcoming flagship amplifier around this excellent opamp. Other upgraded components include the use of Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil resistors in the amplifier section and also in the custom two stage stepped attenuator. These resistors are considered to be the best resistors on the planet for audio. Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil series are also known as Texas Components TX2575 and Charcroft Electronics “CAR” series. This is where the “Nude” comes from in Nude OverKill. If you haven’t heard of these resistors, Google Naked Z-Foil review to get an idea of their potential. Some reviews online even show benefits after just replacing ONE resistor with a Z-Foil. They are near perfection when it comes to a resistor for audio.
Another design change in the upcoming NOK is the removal of the input potentiometer. Whether it’s a digital pot or a carbon based potentiometer, all potentiometers have some affect on the audio transfer from your source and almost always that affect is negative. What I’ve decided to do with the NOK was to just get rid of it alltogether and design a two position stepped attenuator using two Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil resistors per channel. The two resistors will provide two fixed user selectable volume settings and your main volume adjustments will be controlled by your source. This will the first “true” portable headphone amplifier when taking into consideration that typical audio amplifiers for speakers don’t have any volume control. All they do is provide amplification which is what the NOK will do.
The case for the NOK will be machined in house out of a one inch block of aluminum and that is what is giving me greatest delay at the moment. The size of the amplifier is about the size as the Chord Hugo although a bit taller to accommodate the battery. I was reluctant on giving away to much information until I had a final product but my plan is to get the amplifier out in a few more months. "
From portaphile website.
Here is a bit of information about the amp:
Portaphile NOK aka “Nude Overkill”
I thought it’d be a good time to release a bit more information on the Portaphile NOK. The Portaphile NOK will be based on the three channel amplifier architecture found on the 627 line of amplifiers. It will have three OPA627BM followed by six LME49600 buffers, two per channel. The OPA627BM is the higher performance “Can” version of TI’s already excellent OPA627. I’ve been using these opamps in a special edition Shohin with excellent results and decided to base our upcoming flagship amplifier around this excellent opamp. Other upgraded components include the use of Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil resistors in the amplifier section and also in the custom two stage stepped attenuator. These resistors are considered to be the best resistors on the planet for audio. Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil series are also known as Texas Components TX2575 and Charcroft Electronics “CAR” series. This is where the “Nude” comes from in Nude OverKill. If you haven’t heard of these resistors, Google Naked Z-Foil review to get an idea of their potential. Some reviews online even show benefits after just replacing ONE resistor with a Z-Foil. They are near perfection when it comes to a resistor for audio.
Another design change in the upcoming NOK is the removal of the input potentiometer. Whether it’s a digital pot or a carbon based potentiometer, all potentiometers have some affect on the audio transfer from your source and almost always that affect is negative. What I’ve decided to do with the NOK was to just get rid of it alltogether and design a two position stepped attenuator using two Vishay “Naked” Z-Foil resistors per channel. The two resistors will provide two fixed user selectable volume settings and your main volume adjustments will be controlled by your source. This will the first “true” portable headphone amplifier when taking into consideration that typical audio amplifiers for speakers don’t have any volume control. All they do is provide amplification which is what the NOK will do.
The case for the NOK will be machined in house out of a one inch block of aluminum and that is what is giving me greatest delay at the moment. The size of the amplifier is about the size as the Chord Hugo although a bit taller to accommodate the battery. I was reluctant on giving away to much information until I had a final product but my plan is to get the amplifier out in a few more months. "
From portaphile website.
kelly200269
500+ Head-Fier
Rob Watts' FPGA DAC design is unique, and is effectively software based, rather than using off-the-shelf Delta Sigma DAC chips. Rob's design can't be replicated, as it's unique from what I understand. The design itself could be imitated I suppose, but not duplicated.
audionewbi
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From what I understand the design if can be copied will not be the same as it comes down to the algorithm that used, that can never be duplicated.
uzi2
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